Top: Lululemon, similar here | Leggings: Nike | Shoes: Adidas | Water Bottle: Hydro Flask
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One of my New Year’s goals for 2018 is to find a workout and stick to it. Insert BBG. BBG stands for Bikini Body Guide and is an all encompassing workout thru the app called Sweat. It’s a dummy proof workout that is so easy and simple to follow. You just have to put in the time and effort and you will see the results! This workout has been all over the internet lately and I was astonished at the results women were getting. It defiantly sparked my interest. And it seemed so easy. You could essentially do the workout anywhere, at any time, which was perfect for my busy lifestyle.
One day on a whim I downloaded the app because I was so interested in learning more. You get a free 7 day trial, so if I didn’t like it there was no obligation. I could cancel it and move on. The app is simple and easy to follow. And it’s only $20 a month which is way cheaper than any gym I’ve found in Chicago! It plans out your week for you and tells you exactly what workouts to do on each day.
About BBG
Right now I am following the BBG Beginner workout. A 12 week program broken down into Legs, Arms & Abs, Full Body and LISS (Low Intensity Steady State) which includes walking, cycling, swimming etc.. It’s basically your cardio section. And there is one day of rest (Sunday’s). There is also a Challenge you can do every week, but I haven’t done one yet. I plan to add this as the weeks go on so I will update you on that workout! I’ve only touched the surface on what this app offers! There is also different workouts like PWR (using weights and machines), BBG Stronger (also using weights), Body And Mind (yoga inspired) and Post-Pregnancy. I love the idea of switching it up! Here is the breakdown of what the workouts look like at a week glance for BBG Beginner:
Monday: Legs
Tuesday: LISS + Challenge
Wednesday: Arms & Abs
Thursday: LISS
Friday: Total Body
Saturday: LISS
Sunday: Rest
The workouts include two circuits that you complete twice, with a cool down at the end for a total of 35 minutes (without the cool down they are only 28 minutes). Each circuit is seven minutes long and there are four moves within each circuit. You go at your own pace and once you have completed one move you go to the next. If you go thru the entire circuit, but you still have time remaining you start that circuit over. You do this until the seven minutes are up. After that you move on to circuit two. It’s probably a little hard to follow but once you see it in the app you will understand. I was a little confused when I first did the workout because I was like ok I completed the circuit, now what? But you keep on going until the allotted time is up.
More on the App
Each day there is a new workout. For example Monday is Legs Day. And I know that by looking at the Activity tab and looking at the calendar. Monday shows legs, so I then go to the Workout tab and under Resistance, you find the Leg workout. Once you are all situated, hit start in the upper right hand corner and the clock will start!
The app is interactive and shows a person doing the move for you, so you can make sure you are doing it accurately. I find this to be very helpful and motivating! Not only do you get the workouts, but there is a community where you can ask questions and look for motivation. And there are also meal plans. It tells you exactly what to eat at each meal. I haven’t used this section yet because I wanted to get the hang of the workout first. For the most part, I already eat pretty healthy, but it’s something I plan on adding in as the weeks go on.
^^ an example of what the app looks like. The person is also moving, showing you exactly how to complete the move
Equipment Needed
You can do this workout anywhere with a few pieces of equipment. You will need a mat, hand weights, a jump rope and a bench. If you don’t have a bench you can modify by using a chair or stairs. I have a gym in my building so I do my workouts there. Although you don’t have to do this in a gym, I would still recommend it. There is something about getting out of your apartment and feeling motivated. At home, you can be tempted to take breaks, answer your phone, play with our dog, etc. But when you are at the gym you are dedicating yourself to getting healthy. This is completely up to you. I’ve just always found my workouts to be better when I actually leave my house.
Week 1 Update
My goal for week 1 was just to finish and I did just that! I completed every workout although I did modify them. I thought it would be so simple working out only 35 minutes a day, but with my busy lifestyle there were days where this was difficult. Every morning, I get up at 5:20, so the thought of getting up even earlier makes me cringe. Although I’m not ruling it out. And I don’t usually get home until 6:30is every day from work. So working out, even if it is a short workout still takes up almost my entire evening, which I didn’t really like. That means I can’t run errands or do anything during the week. This is a workout I want to stick with, so I have to be realistic. There were a couple of days that I did two workouts. I would do a resistance workout and also cardio so I could get it all in. My plan is to continue this way.
After week 1, my entire body was sore! I thought I was in pretty good shape before, but with the holidays just ending I defiantly slacked. The Legs day was probably the worse for me. That was my first workout and my legs hurt the entire week. I get so excited to get home and change into my workout clothes and head to the gym. My favorite snack to eat are these Kind Bars. They give you energy without making you too full. I am pretty particular when it comes to my food intake before working out. I can’t have a ton of food in my stomach because I feel unmotivated and get cramps. But on the other side, I also can’t be too hungry as I need the energy to finish.
Week 2 Update
Week 2 and I am finally getting into the hang of it. Legs day wasn’t as difficult for me and I also stepped up my game a little on LISS day or cardio day. Week 1 I was just walking on the treadmill because I wanted to not be too sore for the more grueling days. So this week I started to run as long as I could, taking breaks and walking when I needed to.
I am definitely feeling much stronger already. And the workouts are getting a tiny bit easier, which means for week 3, my goal is push myself even harder. I wasn’t as sore at the end of the week like I was after week 1. And as of yet, I haven’t noticed any changes in my body, but then again it’s only been two weeks.
I hope this post was helpful! I’ve also been posting some cute workout clothes on my Instagram and Insta stories, so if you aren’t following me yet- you can follow me here. Let’s do this together and make this our best year yet! My plan is to do monthly updates and I also plan to share before/after pictures so you can see my results. I’m super excited for this!!!!!
Have you tried BBG yet?
xoxox Amanda
PS I also recommend following Kayla (the founder) on Instagram here. She has an amazing body and posts her working out as well as inspirational quotes and a lot of before/after shots. I find it to be super motivating!
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